Your Quinceanera Dress: What the Colors Symbolize

Your Quinceanera dress is all important and for good reason. You’re saying goodbye to little girl fashion, and hello to all that womanhood has to offer. Not only will you use this night to show your loved ones that you’ve grown into a woman, but you also want to show them that you’ve grown into a respectful one as well. So while style is important, taste is, too.

The oldest tradition holds that a Quince dress should be white, much like a wedding gown without the train or the veil. White not only universally represents purity, but it also easily distinguishes the celebrant from the other young women at the party. The only other conventional option was a light pink or a pastel like baby blue or pale yellow. Today’s Quinceaneras often take to bolder, jewel-tone colors like red, blue, and green.

The style of the Quince dress is still somewhat limited, though. It needs to be quite a bit on the formal side and generally has an exceptionally full skirt because that look best represents the “innocent Cinderella” of the fairytale waltz. The neckline should be demure as well because of the religious roots of the celebration. So the one way to really stand out is by using color, and one that will let your personality shine through!

A classic in its own right, red is definitely a much bolder choice when compared to white. Red gives off a sophisticated vibe and exudes confidence and enthusiasm. If you’re a girl who likes to stand out in a big way, red is definitely for you. It’ll show your guests that you’re daring and that not only do you not shy away from attention, you revel in it.

The best way to accent a red dress is with less bold, perhaps what may seem even “bland” colors. Think black, gold, silver, or skin tone colors as accents, or even just other shades of red. Keep your accessories a little more subdued because the red dress will do all the talking. Anything bolder might come across as too loud, or the details might clash with each other. It might be a good choice to wear just earrings and a bracelet, but you can wear multiple bracelets as a standout detail if you wish. The reason to forego a necklace is that it might draw attention away from your dress while earrings and bracelets will enhance it. Choosing a red dress is choosing to be the fashion star of your Quinceanera show!

Blue is generally associated with calmness and cleanliness. Think: the sky on a clear day, or a calm ocean in the middle of summer. Blue is very peaceful, and may be perfect for “level-headed” girls. So if this is you, definitely go for the blue.

You can embellish your blue dress with accents of metallic gold and silver, or you can opt for a more surprising option and color block. One color that goes really well with blue as an accent is red. Do remember, though, that while blue and red are a lovely combination, they can be too loud—or maybe too patriotic—when the colors are used in even proportions. Also, if want to wear a blue and red combo, try to pair the colors in different hues. For instance, wear a lighter blue with a darker shade of red or vice versa.

Green also is said to exude calm and peace, but it also represents self-reliance, balance, growth, and security. In a way, green gives off an independent vibe, which could be perfect considering the reason for the Quinceanera in the first place!

Green is a fun color, and there are a number of ways to style it. Just like with blue, you have the option to color-block a green dress to give it a younger vibe. Green goes well with most colors, especially yellow, orange, and even purple. Green can also be very sophisticated when you pair it with champagne, silver, or gold. You also have the option to go earthy, and finish your look with neutral colors like nude and brown.

If you’re a more traditional girl, there’s nothing more traditional than a white Quinceanera dress. In addition to representing purity, white also gives a feeling of innocence, perfection, and a successful beginning. Not to mention, if it’s traditional in your family to wear white at your Quince, it’ll make your family happy to see you hold to something from your family history instead of going completely modern. Besides, there are plenty of ways to dress up a white gown and still look fresh, up to date, and not washed out.

Treat a white dress like a blank canvas: You can do pretty much anything to it! You can accent a white Quince gown with any color you want, and you can even mix and match a few additional colors. Wearing a white dress lets you play around a lot with your accessories and use them to keep a youthful, playful edge.

Of course, white does give you the choice to go all out, over the top classic, and accent with just silver or gold (or a little of both). Whichever metallic you choose, you will definitely look grown up and sophisticated, but make sure you think it through before you go with a white dress. You don’t necessarily want your Quinceanera dress to compete with or outshine what you might want to wear for your wedding gown.

A pink dress is definitely girly, but it also radiates compassion and love. Technically, the color pink is a blend of white and red, so it takes a little bit of meaning from both. Pink represents the passion of red but is softened by white into a purer and more innocent emotion.

If you want to make your traditional pink dress look a bit trendier, opt for darker accessories like ruby red or another jewel tone you love. That’ll give your look a youthful punch if you wish. But if you want to stick with a totally glamorous look, go with gold and silver accessories for your pink gown.

Nowadays, a lot of girls are also opting to use patterns in their Quinceanera dress fabrics—like a brocade or same-color embroidery or beading—or even combining two colors in a print (usually done in the skirt). If this is your style, let no one stop you! Go bold and beautiful. Just keep in mind that some patterns might make it difficult to maintain a formal look. Also, make sure that the colors you use will complement each other well.